Indian state, Israel to work together in water project

Haryana's state government is working on renovating 18,000 ponds, creating sewage treatment plants, and promoting drip irrigation in agriculture.

 Naor Gilon, Israeli’s ambassador to India, Mekorot Chairman Yitzhak Aharonovich and Minister of Jal Shakti H.E. Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.  (photo credit: MEKOROT)
Naor Gilon, Israeli’s ambassador to India, Mekorot Chairman Yitzhak Aharonovich and Minister of Jal Shakti H.E. Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
(photo credit: MEKOROT)

A delegation from Mekorot, Israel’s national water carrier, met with Haryana Chief Minister Shri Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday at the chief minister’s residence in Chandigarh to discuss water resource management.

The Chief Minister announced that Haryana and the State of Israel would work together in the field of water resources and water management projects. 

Haryana has a depleting water table and faces a water shortage. To address these issues, he said, the state government is working on renovating 18,000 ponds, creating sewage treatment plants, and promoting drip irrigation in agriculture.

How far back does the India-Israel relationship go?

Israel has been cooperating with Haryana in the field of agriculture and horticulture. Four centers of excellence for Indo-Israel cooperation are currently operating in Haryana, and a fifth center is being built in Bhiwani. 

Construction work carried out by EMS Mekorot  (credit: PR)
Construction work carried out by EMS Mekorot (credit: PR)

The chief minister instructed the Irrigation and Water Resources Department to form a task force to work with the Israeli team to develop water management resources. 

He said that both Haryana and Israel should also explore new technology, innovations, and challenges and urged the Israeli delegation to bring projects that can ensure the best use of water resources and preserve soil fertility despite the water shortage.

Mekorot Chairman Yitzhak Aharonovich said: “We shared sustainable, effective water management and resource solutions that can be provided to Haryana through Israeli technology and other resources. More effective water replenishment plans can be explored to deal with the situation of floods and drought in the state.”

“We shared sustainable, effective water management and resource solutions that can be provided to Haryana through Israeli technology and other resources. More effective water replenishment plans can be explored to deal with the situation of floods and drought in the state.”

Mekorot Chairman Yitzhak Aharonovich